NASS to survey farmers for harvested acreage information

The National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) Arizona Field Office is seeking answers. Among the questions - how many acres of Durum wheat did Arizona farmers plant and harvest this season, and what was the actual yield on harvested acres?

These are among the questions that NASS will ask as part of the September Agricultural Survey.

“The September Agricultural Survey, also known as the Crops/Stocks Survey, is one of the most important surveys conducted each year by NASS,” said Steven Manheimer, director of the NASS Arizona Field Office. “This survey is the basis for the official USDA estimates of production and harvested acres of all major agricultural commodities in the United States for the 2007 crop year.”

Data from the September Agricultural Survey benefits farmers by providing timely and accurate information to help them make critical year-end business decisions and to evaluate the success of the growing season, Manheimer said.

During the first two weeks of September, NASS will contact some Arizona producers by mail or telephone to gain information on ’07 production and on-farm stocks of Durum and other types of wheat. The information will be compiled, analyzed, and published in a series of USDA reports, including the annual Small Grains summary and quarterly Grain Stocks report to be released on Sept. 28.

As with all NASS surveys, information provided by respondents is confidential by law.

“NASS safeguards the privacy of all responses and publishes only state and national-level data, ensuring that no individual operation or producer can be identified,” Manheimer said.